Mention European football and indeed the world leagues at large and one of the names that will feature at the top is The Bundesliga, alongside English Premier League, Italy Serie A, Spanish La Liga, and France Ligue 1. The Bundesliga started in 1963 and up-to-date it has been home to many stars, as well as supplied European football tournaments with some of the best players for years.
Although it's small than its counterparts in Europe, the league has been followed by millions of fans across the world as well as provided betting enthusiasts with plenty of chances to place their bids. Now with Bitcoin bookmakers, cryptocurrency adopting betting fans will appreciate placing their bets on their favorite teams in the Bundesliga. This article will explore the league, highlighting the teams that will be participating in 2021/2022 as well as those to watch during the season. This information is useful to the betting fans as they will know which teams to bet on come the season.
Participating teams
Bundesliga is smaller than other European leagues where eighteen teams participate. Other leagues in Europe comprise twenty teams. It has been announced that the league will be starting on August 13th, 2021, running up to May 14th in 2022. The teams which will be participating in the 59th edition of the Bundesliga include:
Of all the eighteen teams that will play in the 2021/2022 league, the following clubs may surprise many:
FC Augsburg
Hertha BSC
Union Berlin
Arminia Bielefeld
VfL Bochum
Borussia Dortmund
Eintracht Frankfurt
SC Freiburg
Greuther Furth
1899 Hoffenheim
FC Koln
RB Leipzig
Bayer Leverkusen
Mainz 05
Borrussia Mönchengladbach
Bayern Munich
VfB Stuttgart
VfL Wolfsburg
FC Augsburg
Augsburg was founded in 1907 and spent a considerable period fluctuating between the second and third divisions. It has been relegated to the fourth division twice but bounced back, eventually earning a promotion to the Bundesliga ten years ago. Since 2011, it has remained in the league recording good performances.
It has even participated in the UEFA Europa League wherein in the 2015/2016 season they reached the Round of 32 before being hounded out by Liverpool. Its current squad includes Rani Khedira, Jan Moravek, Noah Bazee, Michael Greygoritsch, and Marek Suchy. For the last five seasons, the team has been oscillating between 13th and 15th positions. With the start of the new season in August, the team is expected to perform better given its strong forward department.
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen is an exceptional club in German given that it is not bound by the 50+1 rule where supporters are supposed to hold half of the shares plus one. Since it was founded in 1904, the team is owned by Bayer, a pharmaceutical company. Although the club has never won the league, they have been runners-up five times. Bayer has performed well in European tournaments where it has won one UEFA Cup as well as finished as runner up in UEFA Champions League in 2001-02 seasons. They finished in the sixth position in the last season.
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich is the king of German soccer having won the most titles as well as participating in the Europe championships and performing well. The club also sums up as the richest and popular in Germany.
Founded in 1900, the club has produced great players who have played for the German side as well as in other teams across the world. As the current winners, they will also be starting the season as the favorites. This will put lots of pressure on the team, something that analysts argue could help fire them up to the top, once again. Football fans will be waiting to see whether the team that has fourteen international wins, becomes the champions this season.
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund is one of the German football clubs to have won the UEFA champions league. The club which was founded in 1909 has been the German Champions eight times with the latest one being the 2011-12 seasons. They have also been runners-up nine times with 2018-19 and 2019-20 being the latest season.
Borrussia Mönchengladbach
The team emerged 8th in the 2020/2021 league table with 49 points; having won 13 games, drawing 10, and losing 11. In the 2019-20 season the team started so well that they were even topping the league in December. The second half of the season saw the team drop to finish in the fourth position and 17 points behind the winners.
Hertha Berlin
One of the oldest clubs in German, Hertha Berlin has a record of underachievement. It has never won the Bundesliga title despite being almost 120 years old. They finished in the fourteenth position garnering thirty-five points, winning 13 games, drawing 10, and losing 11.
Rasen Ballsport Leipzig
Rasen Ballsport Leipzig was founded in 2009, making it one of the youngest clubs in Bundesliga. The club has been performing well at home as well as in the European league, they made history in 2020 when they participated in the Champion League for the first time and reached the semi-finals, losing against France’s PSG. In the last season, they were the runner-up with sixty-five points; having won nineteen matches, drew eight, lost 7, and a goal difference of twenty-eight.
Wolfsburg FC
The fourth-placed team in the 2020/2021 season, Wolfsburg FC may surprise many when they become the top contenders. Having garnered sixty-four points where they won 17 matches, drew, and lost ten and seven matches respectively, the Volkswagen associated team is ranked thirty-sixth in UEFA Club rankings, three positions ahead of Valencia. This is a team to watch both at the regional and national levels.
The 59th edition of the Bundesliga may surprise many, watch out for these teams, be careful when betting for the matches which they participate in, and above all take advantage of the Bitcoin Bookmakers as they make it easy for you to participate in the bets.
Convenience retailers are bracing for financial strain as the government lays legislation confirming the new National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates.
While over 3 million workers in retail, hospitality, and other sectors are set to benefit from increased pay, retailers have warned of significant challenges ahead.
The legislation, laid before Parliament today (4 February), will see the NLW rise to £12.21 per hour for workers aged 21 and over, up from £11.44 from 1 April. Meanwhile, the NMW for 18- to 20-year-olds will increase by £1.40 to £10.00 per hour, representing a record boost for younger workers.
The government claims these changes will put approximately £1.8 billion into workers' pockets over the next six years, enhancing financial stability for millions of families and driving consumer spending.
“This government promised a genuine living wage for working people that will support people with the cost of living, creating a workforce that is fit and ready to help us deliver number one mission to growth the economy,” chancellor Rachel Reeves said.
“This pay boost for millions of workers is a significant step towards delivering on that promise.”
For retailers, however, the rising wage bill presents difficult decisions. Evidence submitted by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) to the Low Pay Commission last year highlighted the knock-on effects of past wage hikes. Over half (53%) of convenience retailers reported reducing investment in their businesses to cope with increased wage costs. Another 53 per cent had to raise prices in-store, while 47 per cent saw a direct hit to their profits.
The government insists that the wage increase is a step toward fairer pay structures and economic growth. It also marks the beginning of efforts to align the NMW for younger workers with the NLW.
Low Pay Commission chair Baroness Stroud said the increases recommended by them are a “big step” towards achieving a “genuine” living wage, though she has stated earlier that data already shows signs of employers finding it harder to adapt to minimum wage increases.
“It’s important we continue to assess the effects of these changes on employers and workers; to that end, the Low Pay Commission will be consulting with both groups in the coming months,” Baroness Stroud added.
The changes from April will mean:
The National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over will rise from £11.44 per hour to £12.21 per hour.
The National Minimum Wage for 18- to 20-year-olds rises from £8.60 to £10.00 per hour.
The apprenticeship rate, and for 16- to 17-year-olds rises from £6.40 per hour to £7.55 per hour.
Post Office’s new Consultative Council has met for the first time last week on Jan 27 to inform the strategic direction of the organisation. Its remit is to provide a representative postmaster perspective on strategy, culture, funding and governance.
Going forward, the Council agenda could include topics such as banking hubs, the Government’s Green Paper on the future of Post Office, technology strategy or new product development.
The ’New Deal for Postmasters’, announced in November 2024, sets out an ambition to deliver a quarter of a billion pounds boost to postmaster and strategic partner income by 2030.
These improvements to remuneration are subject to funding discussions with government which are positive and ongoing. Postmasters and strategic partners benefited from the first of these increased payments with a £20 million boost to their pay packets in December.
The Council, chaired by Postmaster Non-Executive Director Brian Smith, will meet regularly ahead of Post Office board meetings and a summary of discussions will be published for postmasters to access in a new regular newsletter from the postmaster non-executive directors.
It is comprised of groups representing postmasters, including the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters, Communication Workers Union, Voice of the Postmaster, alongside Post Office's postmaster non-executive directors and Post Office leadership.
Brian Smith is the postmaster for Freefield Post Office on the Shetland Islands and has run the branch for 19 years. Brian was appointed to the Post Office board as a non-executive director in December 2024 and chairs the Consultative Council. Brian Smith said:
“The Consultative Council is an example of the changes which are being implemented at Post Office following evidence heard at the Public Inquiry about the need to embed the postmaster voice throughout the organisation – from the board to the frontline. I am looking forward to bringing almost two decades of experience running a post office to the Council.”
It is one of several changes made or in development at Post Office to ensure the postmaster voice is clearly heard, considered and responded to at every level:
A panel of postmasters will be convened to review operational policies and practice on complex issues and provides feedback and challenge on how they can be improved.
A new wellbeing initiative launched in October 2024 is the result of a collaborative project with the National Federation of Postmasters, Voice of the Postmaster and Post Office colleagues, focused on providing urgent professional care and subject matter expertise on topics ranging from branch security to customer behaviours.
Since August 2024, thirteen regional listening forums have taken place across the UK, with 318 postmasters in attendance, covering a broad range of topics.
The Postmaster Conference, taking place in March, is being co-designed and hosted by postmasters for the first time.
AU Vodka saw a whopping 111 per cent YoY value growth in 2024 on the convenience channel e-commerce service platform Snappy Shopper while Unilever’s ice cream category also saw a growth.
According to "Snappy Media Insights" released by Snappy Shopper, AU Vodka’s continued success was underpinned by a strategic, multi-format festive activation, maximum presence and conversion during the peak trading period.
"RTD cans were promoted to capture impulse purchases and on-the-go consumption. 35cl bottles provided a convenient gifting and trial-size option, widening audience appeal. 70cl bottles maintained strong performance as a key basket driver for night-in and celebratory occasions," states the report.
By leveraging a combination of targeted in-app placements and well-timed promotions, AU Vodka successfully strengthened its position as a leading brand on Snappy Shopper.
Another category that saw a huge growth in 2024 was Unilever’s ice cream category.
2024 has been a standout year for Unilever’s ice cream category on Snappy Shopper, delivering 25 per cent volume growth and 28 per cent value growth year-on-year.
The e-commerce played attributed Unilever's success to seasonal activations, optimised in-app positioning and consumer preference for impulse and treat-led categories within Q-commerce.
With average order values nearly 4x higher than in-store transactions, Snappy Shopper is proving to be a game-changer for independent retailers, helping them expand their reach and boost revenues in a highly competitive market, states the report.
The past year has been transformative for Snappy Shopper, solidifying its position as a leader in the UK’s q-commerce market.
According to a report released on Jan 24, Snappy Shopper closed out 2024 with a record-breaking December, achieving rapid growth and outperforming the market, which saw an 8 per cent increase in Q4 2024.
Unprecedented weekly trading, record revenues, and soaring customer adoption have cemented Snappy Shopper as the go-to partner for independent retailers, retail groups, and brands.
Snappy’s technology enables independent and group retailers alike to operate quick commerce profitably, with retailers throughout the UK leveraging Snappy’s enablement technology to deliver remarkable trading results.
During December, Hayat’s Premier Store, based in Dundee, hit the milestone of more than £200,000 worth of grocery deliveries in a single month from a convenience store, at times doing more deliveries per hour than a nearby supermarket.
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Fujitsu created the Horizon IT system that resulted in some 700 local Post Office managers being wrongly convicted for theft and false accounting between 1999 and 2005. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
A former sub post master, who was forced to remortgage his house as he lost thousands of pounds in the Post Office Horizon scandal, said more should be done to compensate the families of the sub-postmasters who also suffered.
Alun Lloyd Jones, 78, from Llanfarian, Ceredigion, has reached a settlement with the company.
Jones, who faced an 18 year battle before receiving compensation, said it was important to consider the impact the scandal has had on the families of sub-postmasters.
"Some have died, some have suffered so that their health has broken and some have had divorces because of the hellish pressure," he said.
"You can never get enough money to compensate… some have lost their businesses, their houses and so on and the experience has destroyed families. I feel very strongly that these families should also be considered," he said.
Jones' troubles began in 1998 when he decided to take over his local post office in Llanfarian, near Aberystwyth.
A year later, the Horizon computer system was introduced in all British post offices, to monitor stock and accounts digitally.
Like many other sub-postmasters, Jones started having trouble with the new system in the office in Llanfarian and another he was responsible for in Blaenplwyf.
After the Horizon system showed that nearly £20,000 had disappeared from his accounts, in 2007 he called the police and the Post Office.
Jones told BBC, "I said I need to be audited now. And they were shocked. 'It's not you who calls auditors,' they said to me, 'it's for us to come and audit you'.
"They came down, two bullies - you've never seen people like them. They came in and they immediately made up their minds that I was guilty... the boy immediately said to the woman 'suspend him'."
To avoid being prosecuted, and in accordance with the agreement with the Post Office, he had to pay back the money, borrowing from his father-in-law, remortgaging his house, before later closing the post office and shop.
"I had to use credit cards to go from day-to-day, because we didn't have any money - everything had gone back to the post office," he said, adding that he also faced reputational pressures as a county councillor for 31 years.
Jones said he watched ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office from a hospital bed in Llanelli, having suffered a heart attack while on his way to see his accountant to discuss his compensation claim before the deadline passed.
A year later, in mid-January 2025, Jones reached a settlement with the Post Office under the Horizon Deficit Scheme.
However, two of Jones' children, who saw him struggle with Post Office, passed away not knowing he had received compensation for what they went through.
He said his daughter had witnessed all the anxiety, having lived at home with her parents.
"She was forty years old, and died without knowing that her father had finally received some sort of settlement," he said.
More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted for stealing because of incorrect information from the Horizon computer system, in what has been described as the UK's most widespread miscarriage of justice.
The UK government said they were considering whether action was needed to recognise the suffering of families, while the Post Office said they were "working with the government to pay compensation to victims as soon as possible".
Tens of thousands of women Asda workers are on the cusp of equal pay justice after a landmark ruling – but thousand more face taking their case to appeal.
The Employment Tribunal has found in favour of 12 out of 14 “lead claimant” Asda workers in the biggest private sector equal pay claim in history – paving the way for a potential £1.2 billion pound pay out.
The case, brought by GMB and Leigh Day, centres on the fact the predominantly female retail workforce is paid up to £3.74 per hour less than the predominantly male warehouse workforce.
In its ruling, the Employment Tribunal said the following jobs are of equal value to the distribution centre jobs they are comparing themselves to:
Checkout operator, Shop Floor Assistant (Chilled, Bakery, Produce, Process, Home & Leisure, George, Counters, Service Host, Customer Service Desk and Warehouse) and Section Leader.
Two roles were not found to be of equal value – Personal Shopper and Shop Floor Assistant – Edible Grocery. GMB and lawyers are considering all available options including the possibility of an appeal.
The women, who launched their claim 2014, now face just one final hurdle; stage three of the claim, which requires Asda to provide a reason, not related to sex, for the difference in pay.
“This is a historic step towards securing equal pay justice for tens of thousands of Asda workers, but it is tainted with bitter disappointment for those who now face and appeal,” said GMB National Officer Nadine Houghton.
“These women have been fighting for what they are owed for more than ten years and are close to ending the era of retailers systematically undervaluing women.
“It’s telling many of the roles judged to be of equal value are the traditional shop floor roles women have held in retail for so long.
“It’s a crushing blow that some roles were not considered of equal value and we will be discussing next steps, including the possibility of an appeal.
“GMB now calls on Asda to stop wasting time and money dragging this case through the courts and get round the table with us to agree a settlement.”
Lauren Lougheed, Partner at Leigh Day, said: “This is a significant step for the thousands of Asda store workers who have established equal value.
“Our clients have fought for over ten years to achieve recognition of the value of their work and I am so pleased for them.
“We hope that Asda will now focus on resolving their cases quickly, rather than prolonging the process.
“Today’s ruling will of course be bitterly disappointing for our clients who work in the job roles that were not found to be of equal value.
“We believe that a strong case was put forward for these roles, and we will be discussing our next steps with those affected.
“Equal pay is a fundamental right, and this decision takes us one step closer to ensuring that the hardworking colleagues in Asda’s stores are not undervalued and are paid what they are owed.
“Our clients’ demand is clear: they want to be treated fairly. This means being paid the same as their colleagues in other parts of the business, who do work of equal value.”